<bt>The silence associated with graveyards is all but absent in this particular graveyard, shattered by the clangs, buzzes and roars of construction. Against a backdrop of steel girders and mounds of dirt, the graveyard sits, a relic of the past dwarfed by the development of the future.
Construction continues on a new sanctuary at the Ashburn Presbyterian Church positioned near the historic sanctuary which has been around since 1876. Pressured by the growth of the congregation, which expands around 15 percent yearly, the new building will more than double the available seating capacity from 200 members before construction to over 400 members once construction is completed.
"This was part of a master plan that was conducted 10 years ago," said Jim Hall, chairman of the building committee. "We hope to make the church available to the community." Kfoury Construction mobilized on Jan. 3 for what Hall estimates to be a mid-August completion.
Aside from doubling the seating capacity, the new sanctuary will provide the congregation with more organizational and educational opportunities. "The new sanctuary will have offices and four Sunday school rooms," said director of music Kristi Cameron. "Currently, my office is in the kitchen, [administrative assistant Pat Martin's office] is in the foyer and [the Rev. John Peterson's office] is in the closet."
According to Hall, so far the construction has not faced any problems, the only major deterrent being inclement weather. "We've been fortunate to have very good weather," he said.
AT FIRST GLANCE, the construction surrounding Ashburn Presbyterian appears too close to their graveyard, which is divided into three main sections and contains numerous gravestones, some recording the names of those who lived more than a century ago. "Some people buried have families who are still alive," said Martin.
The church, however, is adamant that construction poses no threat to the graveyard. "We had cemetery records and we knew where graves were located," said Hall. According to Hall, before construction began, a radar helped detect the position of graves underground. "It works like a metal detector," he said. With the radar detection, construction was able to commence around the historic ground without compromising any graves.
"They were very careful regarding construction over graves," said Cameron.
UNTIL CONSTRUCTION ENDS in late summer, the congregation will worship in their sanctuary hall, where they have been located for the past three years. The multi-purpose space serves as an interim location between the historic sanctuary and the developing sanctuary. "We're now worshipping here in our sanctuary hall," said Cameron, "[but] we've outgrown [that] as well." Weddings, funerals and other services like Ash Wednesday are still held in the historic sanctuary. A dedication ceremony for the new sanctuary is set to be held sometime in September.
The Rev. John Peterson sees the current construction as a way of connecting the past with the present. “I believe it’s an affirmation of the faith of the people who have preceded us,” he said.